346 species of reptiles live on Madagascar, including most of the worlds chameleons, ranging from the largest to the smallest.
Chameleon
The word chameleon means “earth lion” – derived from the Greek words chamai (on the ground, on the earth) and leon (lion). Chameleons are famous for their ability to change colour, which is not only an adaption to the surrounding, but mostly to show emotions, defend territories or communicate with other chameleons. The skin colour changes under influence of mood, light and temperature. Characteristic are also the bulgy eyes, which can be moved independently of each other. Chameleons are not active hunters, they mainly wait for a prey to pass within range of their long tongues. Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii) with a length of 60 cm is the largest chameleon. Pygmy Leaf Chameleon (Brookesia minima) is the smallest and measures only about 35 mm.
Gecko
You will hear the squeaks of the colourful Phelsuma gecko at Bushhouse. These beautiful, day active geckos are bright green with red patches and yellow or white stripes. All species of the Phelsuma occur worldwide only on islands. Madagascar has due to its size and the many ecological niches the richest Phelsuma fauna.
Boa Constrictor
If lucky, you will see the brown and black Acrantophis, a harmless (and lazy!) type of boa. This particular constrictor can measure up to 150 cm and is not an egg-layer but gives birth to live young snakes.
Crocodile
Reaching a lenght of up to 5 metres, the Nile Crocodile is the largest African crocodile and the top predator in its range. Mature adults weight about 225 kg. They are quadrupets with four short legs, a long powerful tail and mighty jaw. Their nostrils, eyes and ears are on top of their head, so the rest of their body can remain concealed underwater. Nile Crocodiles can swim fast by moving their body and tail in a curving way. Normally they dive only for a couple of minutes, but stay underwater for about 30 minutes if threatened. 70% of their diet consits of fish. The Nile Crocodile can be seen during night boat cruises near Bushhouse. Threatened by men, these crocodiles fear human presence and live in remote places.
